


Happy Campers

by delighted



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Episode Fix-it, M/M, post-episode S6E11
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-13 05:34:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5696944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delighted/pseuds/delighted
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>SPOILERS for Episode Eleven!</p>
<p>What if Steve did it on purpose? And... what happened at that one workshop?</p>
<p>A NOTE ABOUT THE RATING:<br/>I hesitated over the rating, but it’s the most explicit thing I’ve written, so while it’s on the tame side, it feels a bit more than “M” to me, so I’m going with “E,” just to be safe, but probably most people will think it should just be “M.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Campers

**Author's Note:**

> I’m sure there are 67 people writing about this, but I just couldn't resist.
> 
> The episode left me feeling kind of... well, mixed. I’ve been feeling that their banter has grown somewhat... forced, and that was heightened by the episode. I found myself thinking about why that might be, in a way that would make it a *good* thing-- rather than a bad thing. And, well, if they were fighting their feelings for each other, yeah, it would make sense. Then it occurred to me, "what if Steve did it on purpose?” And, it just poured right out.
> 
> This is one of my fastest turn-a-rounds on a story, it's the longest I've written of the boys, and I wrote it almost entirely in one sitting... so it might be a little rough. But, I had way too much fun with it. I hope you do too!
> 
> .... So, they left the boys sitting by the pool, feeling each other’s arms and talking about soft skin.... I mean, they didn’t think we’d let that go, did they?

Danny caught Steve’s eye, as their arm touching had gone on for quite some time, and he thought he saw a slight blush on his cheeks, and that was kind of weird. Also his eyes looked really strange. He pulled back kind of suddenly, and Steve broke off whatever he was saying about emollients and essential oils. Steve dropped Danny’s arm abruptly and Danny swore the blush deepened.

“You ok, buddy?” Steve asked, seeming to shake himself out what he’d been saying. “Ankle hurting?”

Well, that was as good a reason as any, he thought. “Yeah, babe, just a bit.” He cleared his throat. “I, uh, think I need another drink.”

Steve smirked, that I’ve-got-an-idea gleam sparking in his eyes. “You know what.... Here we are, sitting by this lovely pool... let’s get fruity drinks with flowers in them, shall we?”

Danny couldn’t hold back the laugh, but it sounded somehow soft and rounded rather than harsh to his ears. “Yeah, ok,” he replied. “Something strong, please,” he tried to put some snark in his tone to make up for the overly-fond laugh.

Steve flagged down the pool waiter (who still hadn’t brought his burger), and ordered two Mai Tais.

While they waited for the drinks, they went over the workshop schedule for the next day.

“I can’t believe there’s a whole other _day_ of this stuff,” Danny sighed.

Steve grinned broadly.

“What is Active Listening, anyway?” Danny groused. “You open your ears, and you listen. How hard is that?”

“I think it will be helpful,” Steve responded. “I could use some tips on listening to your constant complaining.” But his smile was huge and his eyes were freaking twinkling.

“Ha, ha, ha,” Danny replied. He paused, while their drinks and Steve’s burger arrived. “Ahh, that’s better,” he said after a sip. When the waiter was out of earshot, Danny whispered, “ _Please_ tell me we can skip the Sexual Incompatibility section, babe.”

Steve laughed. “No deal, partner. The only way she can sign off is if we complete the entire camp.”

Danny sighed. “You are _so_ making this up to me.”

“Ok!” Steve said, around a mouthful of burger. “Here’s your half,” he started, putting half his burger onto Danny’s plate, and rather than push it over to Danny, he just moved closer. “What would you like to do? There’s snorkeling, there’s kayaking, there’s a lei making class....”

Danny perked up. “Yeah, you can make me a lei,” he laughed.

Steve grinned that ridiculous goofy grin, and Danny’s heart might have kind of kerflumped.

“I don’t think I’m up for snorkeling, but you know, you could paddle me around on a kayak... that could be kind of nice.”

“Yeah?” Steve asked, and Danny thought his tone was a bit odd. “Ok, buddy, I’d like that. After we eat? The place is open till sunset.”

Danny smiled. “Sure, babe. Sounds lovely.”

After they finished their food and drinks, they went back to the room to change, and maybe those drinks had been extra strong or something, because Steve seemed a bit shaky as he supported Danny’s weight on the side of his bad ankle. Steve packed a bag to take on the kayak with them, and Danny tried not to tease him about what all he put in it—they hadn’t brought their guns, thank you very much, but Danny knew Steve had a knife, and was he not capable of going even a little bit out to sea without being prepared for disaster? He sighed as he waited for Steve to finish. “Got water in there, babe?”

“Of course,” Steve responded. “And MREs, and an emergency flare.”

“Ok, you realize we are not trying to kayak back to Oahu, right?”

Steve just smirked. “Yeah, but we could if we needed to.”

Danny rolled his eyes. “Please tell me there’s a session on dealing with insane partners who have lost their grip on reality.”

“Nope,” Steve responded, and, finishing his packing, he rose, smacking Danny on his good leg. “Let’s go, _partner_.” And he put some honeyed layer of something in that last word, and dang if it didn’t send shivers up Danny’s spine. And, not in an altogether bad way....  _Must be the Mai Tai_ , he told himself.

Steve had called down to reserve the kayak, and the guy was waiting for them on the beach by the time they made it down. The sun was still a way from setting, but already the sky was aglow with orange and pink streaked clouds. It was, even Danny would admit, beautiful.

“Why don’t we ever do this at home?” He asked, as Steve paddled them out to sea.

“We could do this,” Steve replied. “I bet it’s a good couple’s thing,” he said, the smirk loud in his tone.

“Just shut it and keep paddling, SEAL boy,” Danny grumbled, but he was smiling, as Steve gave him a mock salute.

Steve followed the coastline, not too far out, and Danny didn’t even freak out once. He sat back and watched as the sun set and the stars began to pop out. “This is really romantic,” he sighed.

“I’m buying you a kayak when we get home,” Steve mused. “If that’s all it takes to get you to stop yelling at me.”

Danny looked questioningly at the back of Steve’s head. “I don’t yell at you,” he said.

Steve turned around, a look of surprise on his face. “Uh, yeah, you do,” he responded.

“No,” Danny insisted. “No, Steve, I do not.”

“Kind of yelling right now, Danno,” Steve pointed out.

“This is not yelling, Steven,” Danny said, lowering his voice. “This is pointing out that you are wrong, my friend. As is so often the case.”

Steve laughed and turned back around. “Ok, Danno,” he said, and it sounded a little exasperated but mostly fond, and Danny eased back again.

“But if you wanted to take me out kayaking at home, I maybe wouldn’t complain,” Danny said, softly.

He couldn’t see, of course, but he was pretty sure Steve smirked at that.

They finally returned to the resort after it was dark, and Danny realized Steve must have planned for that, as the kayak stand was closed, but the light was still on, and the one empty slot for their kayak was the closest one.

“Hungry, buddy?” Steve asked, as he practically lifted Danny out of the kayak.

“Yeah, but I’m not up for going out, I don’t think,” he winced a little as Steve left him standing on his own to pull the kayak to the rental shed, return it to its slot and slip the lock closed, turning out the light.

“Can we get those burgers from room service, do you think?” Steve asked.

Danny laughed. “Yeah, babe, I already checked.”

“Good man,” Steve called, slapping him around the shoulder, and supporting him on the way back to the room.

They showered while they waited for room service, Steve letting Danny go first, and commenting on how wonderful the soap smelled, which made Danny laugh.

Once the food came, they sat down on their beds to eat. Danny had found a painfully bad action movie on TV while Steve had been in the shower, and as they ate, they made fun of it. Steve had ordered a bottle of red wine, and after they finished eating and he cleared the trays, he sat on Danny’s bed to refill his glass, and he didn’t get back up. When the movie ended and some cheesy romance came on, they started making fun of that as well, until it became absurd and it was late and Danny was exhausted, so they turned it off and went to bed.

“’Night Danno,” Steve said fondly, as he tucked him in. “I had a really nice day.”

Danny smiled. “Me too, babe. Thank you.” And Steve looked a little like he was holding himself back from something, but Danny was really sleepy, and his eyes fluttered closed. He thought he heard Steve sigh as he got into bed, but maybe he just imagined it.

*

When Danny awoke the next morning, Steve was already out of the room (swimming, no doubt). By the time he got out of the shower, Steve had returned, and was carrying coffee and a pastry bag for Danny.

“Oh, you are wonderful,” Danny sighed, as he smelled the combination of caffeine and sugar he so dearly loved.

“I signed us up for lei making,” Steve grinned. “There’s an early class that gets done in time for our first session, if you hurry up.”

Danny shook his head bemusedly, but smiled. “Ok, babe. Sounds like fun.”

He had his coffee and pastry and dressed while Steve rinsed off and put on dry clothes, and they made it just in time for the start of lei making. Steve attacked his orchids with the precision and intensity with which he did everything.

“It’s a lei, babe, not an incendiary device,” Danny teased him, as he approached his own lei making with considerably less attentiveness. And a lot more talking.

As the time allotted for the class drew near a close, the instructor asked if anyone knew the proper way to give someone a lei. Steve, who had been done with his for a while, raised his hand.

“Goof,” Danny hissed.

“Ok, good,” the instructor replied. “Can you show us?”

Steve stood, pulling Danny up alongside him. He placed his perfect lei around Danny’s neck, kissing him on the cheek as he did so. “ _Aloha_ ,” he said, smiling. Danny was certain his cheeks flushed at that.

“Very good!” The instructor praised, and Steve actually blushed. She turned to the rest of the class, who stood and placed their leis around each other’s necks.

“Now, put yours on me,” Steve whispered, and Danny wasn’t sure why he felt so flustered.

“Mine’s not very good, babe,” he protested.

Steve frowned. “I don’t care. You made it with _aloha_ , it’s beautiful.” He stooped so Danny could reach up to place the lei around his neck. Pressing his lips to Steve’s cheek, he whispered “ _Aloha_ ,” lingering maybe longer than was really necessary.

“We’d better go,” Steve said, tugging on Danny’s hand. “We’ll be late for our next session.”

Danny rolled his eyes and didn’t bother suppressing a groan.

Everyone but the instructor was there already when they got to the seminar room. One of the other workshop participants nudged Danny while they were waiting. “Angling for extra credit there with the lei making class?” She joked.

He smiled. “It was his idea,” he explained, pointing to Steve.

“Yeah, I bet,” she replied, cryptically.

Danny looked askance at her, but she walked off before he could say anything, and just then, Loraine walked in.

“Ok,” she said, in her typically perky manner. “Trust exercises!”

Danny muttered curses under his breath, and Steve glared at him in response. He whispered "Sorry," but he wasn't, really.

As bad as the trust exercises were, Danny was _not_ looking forward to the afternoon’s session. There was a quick break for lunch, during which Danny attempted to escape, but Steve kept him cornered and dragged him back in plenty of time, bribing him with the promise of more Mai Tais and a chocolaty dessert if he behaved.

After the introduction, including the hand holding and affirmations, which again, Steve seemed to really enjoy—and Danny was beginning to worry Steve might make this part of their team meetings—Loraine broke Danny’s musings, just as he took a sip of his water.

“Have you guys ever thought that maybe sex would actually help?”

Danny choked on his water. “Excuse me?” He sputtered.

“Sometimes, when people who are not a couple argue a lot, it’s to cover up an attraction. Maybe the reason you fight so much is because you _want_ to be having sex.”

“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing,” pipped up Keren. “That happened to me once. When we finally gave in,” she shuddered. “The sex was _amazing_.”

Several of the others were nodding and seeming to agree, and Danny, who had to forcibly shut his mouth, which had fallen open, turned to look at Steve, as if to say “you have got to be kidding me,” and his breath stopped when he did, because Steve’s cheeks were more than a little pink, and he was ducking his head and looking like he wanted to hide.

“Something to think about at any rate,” Loraine said, but dropped the subject and moved on to explicitly addressing the issues of incompatibility that the other couples faced. It was painfully uncomfortable, or would have been, if Danny had been able to focus on anything other than what had been implied about him and Steve. Finally the session ended, and Danny startled a little, as he’d been very much lost in thought. He looked, warily, over at Steve, but his expression was inscrutable.

“Well,” said Loraine, clapping her hands. “I think we all know what we need to work on tonight? Everyone have a lovely evening, and please be sure to fill out the online survey once you return home! Thank you so much for coming, I wish you all the best of luck.”

They went somewhat dazedly back to their room, having planed to change and head to the pool for a swim before dinner. Danny sat heavily on the bed.

“I _so_ need a drink after that.”

“Yeah?” Steve looked in his eyes, and there was an intensity there that actually made Danny draw in a sharp breath.

“Uh....” Replied Danny, unsure what to say to that look.

“What if they’re right?” Steve whispered. “Don’t tell me you’ve never thought about it.”

Danny huffed, and looked away.

“And don’t tell me you have a girlfriend. When was the last time you even saw her?”

Danny turned back to him sharply, gaze suspicious. “She’s been busy,” he cleared his throat. “And so have I.”

“Uh-huh.” Steve responded. And he moved closer, but stayed standing.

Danny licked his lips and took a breath. “Have you?” He asked, and his voice sounded a little squeaky.

“Have I what?” Steve asked, and he was looking at Danny’s lips.

“Thought about it.”

Steve looked up at Danny’s eyes, held them, pressed his lips together, and nodded, once, barely perceptibly.

Danny let out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. “Oh my God.” He pressed his hands to his face and rubbed as if that would clear whatever it was that was clouding his judgment right now because suddenly the only thing that seemed to make sense was kissing Steve, and that _had_ to be the utterly wrong wrong wrong choice.

Steve still hadn’t sat down on the bed next to him, and Danny was torn between being relieved and frustrated.

“Have _you_?” Steve asked, and his voice was raspy and intense.

Danny looked up at him, his hands in his hair, and he was certain there had to be a wild look in his eyes. His heart was racing, his thoughts were swirling, he felt like the room was spinning, and he just didn’t know what to do.

“Yeah,” he sighed. “Yeah, ok?” He dropped his hands to his side, and he felt himself deflate, having admitted it. “Yeah, I have. Of course I have. How could I not.”

Steve still was standing, and it was starting to drive Danny crazy. He looked back up at him, and swallowed hard at the look on Steve’s face.

“Oh my God, Steven.” He shook his head. “ _No, no, no,_ this is NOT an ok idea.”

Finally Steve sat down, and oh, now Danny wished he hadn’t, because now he was finding it was taking everything he had to not just lean forward....

“Why not, Danny?” Steve’s tone was soft and pleading and filled, oh God, _filled_ with longing.

Danny seriously felt like he was going to start to cry. “Why not?” He laughed, and it was bitter, and of course it was, there were years, Jesus, _years_ of denying this behind it. “Fuck, Steven, how can you even ask that? We’re partners. We work together. The team...” and Danny knew he was losing it. Sure enough, his cheeks were wet.

“Danny,” Steve started, slowly, trying to catch his eye, and fidgeting with his hands like he was trying hard to not reach out for Danny’s. “I know you better than I’ve ever known _anyone_. You know _me_ better than anyone ever has. You _get_ me better than anyone ever has.” He paused, and it was to cover a sob, but he didn’t quite manage. “And... I’m pretty sure....” He was panting, his eyes were glistening, and he swallowed, hard. He blinked to clear his eyes, and tried again. “I’m pretty sure... that I’m in love with you.” He closed his eyes as he said it, as if he were terrified of what he’d see in Danny’s eyes.

“ _Shit_.” Danny brought his hands back up to his face. “Shit, shit, shit, shit.” Steve’s eyes had opened, and he was looking horrified, but when Danny dropped his hands from his face, and he shook his head slowly, tears blurring his vision, Steve’s expression shifted to one of hope. “Fuck, _oh, fuck_.” And Danny leaned forward, putting his hands to either side of Steve’s face, and pulled him down into a kiss. A hard press of the lips, a salty kiss, filled with frustration and anger and pent up feelings from _five fucking years_. “Goddamit, Steven,” he said, as he pulled back, just enough to draw air. “I love...” he broke off in a sob. “Fuck.” He took a deep breath. “I love you. Ok? Yeah, I love you. Jesus.” And he pushed back in for another kiss, and Steve sobbed into his mouth and grabbed him and pulled him against his chest. And now the room really _was_ spinning, and Danny felt like he was going to throw up and explode and pass out and float to the ceiling and fall through the floor, and he just couldn’t stand it. He tugged at Steve’s shirt, wanting it gone, and Steve pulled back enough to rip his shirt off, sending buttons flying everywhere, and Danny laughed just slightly and he dug his fingers into Steve’s bare arms and groaned. Steve had worked his hands under Danny’s shirt, and was running them up his chest, and suddenly in one swift move he had pulled Danny’s shirt off over his head. Danny gasped. “Fuck, where’d you learn that move? The James Bond school of seduction?”

“How are you talking right now?” Steve asked, slyly, and pushed Danny back into the mattress, working his hands down to his pants.

“Ungh,” Danny managed, before bringing his own hands up to grasp Steve’s ass through his (not cargo) shorts. “I like you in linen,” he whispered. “So much better than cargos.”

Steve laughed huskily, and pulled Danny’s zipper down, reaching a hand in to grab him. “Still talking,” he panted, and moaned when Danny gasped. Grinning wolfishly, Steve flipped them so Danny was on top, and as soon as he was, Danny found his pants were somehow magically down around his knees, along with his boxers, and he kicked them off, being careful of his ankle. While he’d done that, Steve had evidently used his Ninja SEAL skills to get his own shorts and briefs half way down his own legs, and Danny quickly got them the rest of the way off, and then found himself staring.

“Jesus fuck you are gorgeous,” he said, maybe a little too loudly, and Steve laughed.

“Come here,” Steve smirked, as his own eyes raked admiringly across Danny’s naked body.

Danny pressed down into Steve, grinding his hips, dripping with longing and need and want. “Need. _More_ ,” he whispered.

“Yeah,” Steve moaned back, and pulled Danny against him, and they were lost in a swirl of sensation. Danny felt like he was swimming in heady, feverish longing, and God, it had never felt like this, never been so intense, and before he knew it they were coming together almost from just the thought, and they were laughing, and then kissing, so much, so hungrily, as if they needed it to breathe and they’d been drowning.

Eventually they slowed, and Danny found Steve was pulling him up. “Come on,” he breathed into Danny’s ear. “Shower. Let’s make good use of that soap.”

And Danny laughed, and then groaned, and they stumbled into the bathroom, Steve being careful to lift Danny’s left side so his weight didn’t go on his bad ankle, and yeah, Steve was practically carrying Danny, and they fell into the shower and Danny gasped as Steve held him against the cold tile, turning the water on with his _foot_ while his hands found the soap and began to lather Danny all over.

“I have never been more impressed with your Navy training,” Danny rasped out as he reached for the washcloth to clean them off.

“No touching,” Steve ordered, as he grabbed the cloth and soaped it up and ran it up and down Danny’s front, then his. He pressed them back together, this time with his back against the wall, and his knee under Danny so his weight was off his ankle. They were both hard again within moments, and just the slippery slide of the soap was too much and they lasted even less long than before.

“We are so taking lots of this soap home,” Danny panted as he rinsed them off between kisses.

Steve pulled back to smile at him. “Whatever you like, Danno.” He kissed him. “ _Anything for you_.” And he said it slowly and intently and heavily, and Danny went weak at the knees.

“You’re a big goof, you know that?” Danny grinned hugely.

That trademark smirk lit up Steve’s face. “You love it.”

“Yeah,” Danny said softly. “Yeah, I do.”

*

Once, or maybe twice, or, ok, ok, maybe three times, in the night, they found themselves entwined and pressing and swirling and swimming and loving and caressing. By the morning, they were completely flushed with five years of resistance broken through, five years of fighting their attraction released. And they positively _glowed_ with it.

Danny sat up and looked toward the balcony, where Steve was setting out a tray of breakfast. Pulling his boxers on, Danny padded across the floor to his partner. Wrapping his arms around him from behind, Danny sighed into Steve shoulders. “’Morning, babe,” he whispered.

Steve turned him around, and pulled him into his arms for a kiss. “Good morning, Danno.”

“What’s all this?” Danny asked, waving at the lavish breakfast set up. “And how’d you do it without waking me?”

Steve smirked. “Stealth mode.”

Danny laughed. “I think I could get used to this,” and poured himself some coffee, grabbing a croissant at the same time.

They had a leisurely breakfast (making up for not having eaten the night before), interrupted by many kisses. And once, briefly, for a conversation that needed to be had.

“Danny...” Steve started, and from the look on his face, Danny was certain what Steve was thinking about.

“She broke up with me,” Danny admitted. “A while ago.” He sighed. “Said I was married to my job...” he trailed off, hesitating over something he wasn’t sure if he could admit. He closed his eyes. “I think she suspected....” He shook his head. “She knew. I think she knew.” He opened his eyes, and the tenderness in Steve’s was almost too much to take.

“Come for a swim with me?” Steve asked Danny on a whisper. “Please?”

“Yeah, ok,” Danny smiled.

Leaving the dishes half finished on the table, they changed into their swim trunks and headed, barefoot, down to the beach, Steve still half carrying Danny, though his ankle was surprisingly better. They floated a little ways out, and Steve supported Danny as they paddled gently down the coastline.

“Is this going to be hard?” Steve asked Danny as they drifted. “Everything is going to be different.”

“Naw,” Danny sighed, “Not really. We’ll probably argue just as much, but we’ll have a way of getting it out after,” he smirked. “Besides, everyone’s thought we were married for years.”

Steve grinned sheepishly, and Danny had a sudden thought.

“You did this on purpose, didn’t you? There was no misreading of the course description. You did this intentionally.”

Steve just grinned.

Danny shook his head bemusedly. “Oh, my God, you did....” He laughed, and pulled himself through the water, closer to Steve, for a kiss.

“One of my better ops,” Steve muttered fondly, and Danny laughed.

*

When Danny and Steve walked into the lobby at check out time, they were holding hands. All the other couples from the camp were there, as well as Loraine.

Keren saw them first and turned to Loraine and said: “Do you get points for getting a couple _together_?”

“Oh. My. God,” one of the others whispered.

“I knew it!” Exclaimed Brad.

Danny smiled hugely and Steve blushed, pulling Danny closer to him as if he was protecting him from them. “Easy, babe,” Danny whispered, squeezing his hand.

Loraine looked completely unsurprised. “I’m very happy for you both,” she said. "And I wish you the best of luck on this new phase of your journey." She smiled sweetly, then turned back to the others and shooed them away.

*

They had seats next to each other on the flight home, and Danny wondered if Steve had done that on purpose ahead of time, or if he’d arranged it after. He settled against Steve’s side, sighing softly, knowing Steve was smirking hugely, and smiling at the thought. If anyone recognized them from the flight out, and noticed the change in their demeanor, well. He blushed at the thought just a little. Steve kissed the top of his head and whispered “Love you, Danno.” Danny squeezed his hand. “Love you too, babe.”

When they walked out of the airport, and they were still holding hands, they saw Chin and Kono waiting for them, Kono holding leis. Danny’s mouth dropped, and he turned on Steve.

“They knew?” He asked.

Steve shrugged. “I didn’t tell them....”

“Look at them,” Danny insisted. “They knew!”

“We are cops, you know,” Chin pointed out.

Kono walked forward and kissed them both on the cheek. “ _Aloha_ ,” she said, smiling, and placed the leis around their necks.

Chin took their bags from them, and loaded them into Steve’s truck. “Come on,” he said. “We’ve got a case, but you can tell us all about it on the way.”


End file.
